More Achievable Goals: A Leader’s Guide to Goal Definition

Setting More Achievable Goals at Work
Many leaders believe that setting big, bold, and audacious goals drives motivation. Ambitious targets can certainly spark excitement and energy initially, but as goals become increasingly difficult to attain, employee engagement often declines. When objectives feel genuinely unrealistic, teams may hesitate to take even the first step, leaving potential untapped and momentum stalled.

Learn from the Experts
Stepping outside the traditional business world can offer powerful insights into effective goal-setting.

• Take Weightwatchers, for example — ranked #1 Best Diet for Weight Loss for ten consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. Its success stems from a simple principle: achievable goals. By encouraging small, consistent steps — losing 1–2 pounds per week, tracking progress, and celebrating incremental wins — participants build sustainable habits that lead to long-term, healthy weight loss.
• Language learning offers a similar blueprint. Duolingo, consistently rated among the best apps for mastering multiple languages, emphasizes daily, bite-sized lessons. Users advance gradually, gaining vocabulary and conversational skill through step-by-step practice. Progress is tangible, measurable, and reinforced along the way, making even the daunting goal of fluency feel attainable.

The takeaway is clear: ambitious objectives — whether reaching a healthy weight or mastering a new language — are often best accomplished incrementally. Real progress happens one meaningful, achievable step at a time.

Back to Business
Strong leaders define clear strategic goals that make unambiguous choices about where to play and what actions to take. When executed well, a strategic plan positions a team — and the entire organization — to achieve results greater than the sum of its parts. Yet strategy alone is never enough.

The real impact comes through coordinated execution. For shared goals to drive performance, stakeholders must believe that they are widely:

• Understood.
• Credible.
• Actionable.

And credibility starts with achievability. By setting realistic, attainable goals, leaders give their teams a clear path forward, fostering momentum, confidence, and sustained progress toward the strategy’s ultimate objectives.

How to Define More Achievable Goals

Applying the principle of achievable goals to your business strategy starts with intentional planning and consistent follow-through. Here are some practical approaches:

1. Identify Small, Achievable Wins
   Big victories grab attention, but it’s the small, incremental wins that sustain momentum. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step — so define those first steps and the subsequent ones that, when combined, move you steadily toward your ultimate objective. These small successes build confidence, clarity, and a sense of progress.
2. Track Progress Toward the End Game
   Once your destination is clear and shared, create a visible roadmap with meaningful, attainable milestones. If your goal is to grow your customer base by 10% this year, break it down into realistic monthly targets. Track performance, celebrate each milestone, and acknowledge progress — even if gaps appear along the way. Recognizing these small victories keeps the team engaged and motivated to continue moving in the right direction.
3. Persist and Adapt
   Achievable goals don’t eliminate challenges, but they make it easier to persevere. Missteps are inevitable — what matters is how you respond. Learn from setbacks, adjust your approach, and keep moving forward. Persistence, combined with realistic targets, ensures continuous momentum and steady progress toward your strategic objectives.

The Bottom Line
To set your team up for real success, focus on goals that are ambitious yet achievable — ones that inspire effort without creating frustration. Then partner with your team to define the first concrete steps that move everyone steadily toward your shared vision of success.

To learn more about how to define more achievable goals, download 7 Immediate Management Actions to Create Alignment with Goals

by Tristam Brown: CEO

Tristam Brown is an executive business consultant and organizational development expert with more than three decades of experience helping organizations accelerate performance, build high-impact teams, and turn strategy into execution. As CEO of LSA Global, he works with leaders to get and stay aligned™ through research-backed strategy, culture, and talent solutions that produce measurable, business-critical results. See full bio.